The dog’s sudden reaction in the video may look shocking, but it likely comes down to resource guarding—a natural behavior where dogs protect something they value, like a couch.
Other factors could also be at play: pain or discomfort, built-up stress, unclear boundaries, or subtle warning signs people missed, such as stiff posture or a hard stare.
Every reaction has a trigger, and understanding a dog’s body language is key to preventing moments like this.
@thinkingcanine There are many reasons why this might have happened, but the simplest explanation is that the dog was resource guarding the space and the couch. I’ll go over this video slo-motion in a later video but what do you think? Anything else you are seeing? #reactivedog #dogbehavior #anxiousdog #dogtrainingtips #dogbehaviorist